I'm a Snape-aholic stay-at-home mother of six who has been writing fanfic in my head for decades but only started writing it down this century. In general, my stories are an N/S3 zone, ie, no slash, no swearing, no sex, but there is an occasional kiss and "Dreams" glances obliquely at the marriage bed. I do explore parental-guidance issues like self-harm, guilt and shame, and occasionally find it necessary to lightly touch on violence.

Writing derivative fiction is as much an art as writing for publication, but like my other field of interest, quilting, it is an art of the community rather than the elitist. As such, the quality of work produced may range from masterwork to dross. I am committed to aiming for excellence. Quilts made from pre-printed fabrics are not valued less than those using the maker's own hand-dyes; neither should writing be valued less for being made of pre-printed characters and/or situations. (Shakespeare's isn't.) It's what you do with your materials that counts.

My aim in writing fan-fiction is twofold: to offer new (true) insights into canon and to create stories that are complete in themselves. All of my stories were bookcanon-compliant at time of starting, however canon may have subsequently deviated, and I usually explain in A/Ns where I have extended or extrapolated further than the source-text.

Nevertheless, I can enjoy any well-constructed story that doesn't trip my baloney-sensors. For me, canon (or designated portion thereof) defines the parameters of fanfiction just as much as reality defines the parameters of general fiction. I find non-compliant details and interpretations in a semi-compliant story as jarring as green double-suns in a biography, and I prefer a complete AU to one that deviates slightly without consistency, because even small changes can have a huge impact and even huger blow-back. The smaller the change, the less likely authors are to consider its implications for their story - and the more likely readers are to incorporate the wrongness in their personal canon, and subsequently retransmit the error.

(The neurotypical brain is geared to finding patterns and framing narratives.In o-fic, fantasy needs to have a point of reference for where it differs from the real world, so that there is both internal consistency and - to the point of change - real-world consistency, because we are still reading from a real-world perspective, using our real-world understanding. We understand that, if the suns are green and double, then colours will change, day and night will follow a different pattern, and many words and phrases will lose their meanings. Art, physiology, agriculture, business, the daily conduct of life will change too.

Likewise, derivative fiction needs to have consistency with both itself and - up till the point of change - with the work it derives from. The point of difference doesn't have to be explained or identified to the reader, but the writer has to know it and understand how it changes what follows, or the AU storyverse gets more and more cracky. Nothing wrong with that if crack-fic is what you *want* to be writing or reading. It can be a pleasant diversion, but it's unlikely to engage the reader's heart or brain or soul.)

When canon itself trips my baloney-sensors, I prefer Watsonian (in-universe) explanation to Doylist (out-of-universe explanations, such as authorial convenience or stupidity), because it better preserves that coherence and internal consistency on which my readerly suspension of disbelief rests. Characters are the sum of their actions and attitudes. What they do and think and say (their "choices", as Dumbledore might say) shows what they truly are. Attributing anomalies to plot necessity or authorial fiat turns the protagonists from characters to puppets and destroys the integrity of the canonverse.

I've noticed that my favourite fandom characters, such as Snape and Percy and Neville, are all under-appreciated and male. Perhaps they symbolise my autistic sons, and society's tendency to dismiss disabled people as being worth less than "normal" people.

What draws adults like myself to Snape is not "bad boy charm" (I find the very suggestion ludicrous, frankly, for he is neither bad nor boyish nor charming), but identification and/or hurt-comfort. We recognised early on that Snape was a profoundly unhappy man, trapped by duty and obligation into a dead-end job/life. "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation" (Thoreau) - only for Snape, despair is perhaps equally present.

As I wrote, back in 2004, in "Everything", ch 5: "Miserable. Yes, that was it, he was miserable. Under that cold, grim mask, he’d probably been grieving almost since before she was born, grieving in silence because who could a spy confide in? ... Ron wasn’t the only person who wouldn’t forgive him. She was sure he’d never forgiven himself."

The books show him almost entirely through the eyes of Gryffindor students, and even the authorial voice is a Harry-echo - to the detriment of the series, in my opinion. To redress the balance, I tend to give a Snape-eyed view of events and characters. (This leads some readers to assume I'm fully in agreement with him, when all I'm really doing is presenting the opposing argument.) I've extended this to include SSHG romance and mentor-fics because they play well off each other and give me an opportunity to explore unresolved issues from canon or life.

I'd like to acknowledge some particular influences: Dzeytoun, ReeratheRed and Whitehound, whose fics have strongly coloured some of my Snape-views, Lady Claudia's site, whysnape, for extracting and analysing all the Snape sections in JK's books, Harry Potter Lexicon, for its vast repository of information, Little Tigger, for persuading me to post, and Bellegeste, Cecelle and Lady Memory, my previewers, whose searching questions and criticisms greatly improve the finished product.

I found the final book a profound disappointment on almost every level - even worse than my rather low expectations - and the author's apparent vision and morality abhorrent. Prejudice is confirmed and corruption entrenched, in and by the heroes. This was not a story about ethics, or good vs evil; it was merely a story about politics. (The under-story tells a better tale, but JK's interview comments show little awareness of its existence.) I still intend to finish my WIPs, but updates will be irregular and I don't promise to start any new stories.

June 20, 2010 On this day my sweet gentle father passed away from this world: a scholar and a gentleman. Love you, Dad.

Harry Potter was Sorted into Slytherin after a crappy childhood. His brother Jim is believed to be the BWL. Think you know this story? Think again. Year Three (Harry Potter and the Death Eater Menace) starts on 9/1/16. NO romantic pairings prior to Fourth Year. Basically good Dumbledore and Weasleys. Limited bashing (mainly of James).

It began with a quirk of timing. It continued because dragons, such as what 8-year-old Harry Potter just turned into, are large and difficult to control. Fortunate for everyone he's a nice kid, eh? Shadowrun and Rifts crossover. You have now been warned.

Severus Snape has his emotions in check. He knows that he experiences anger and self-loathing and a bitter yearning, and that he rarely deviates from that spectrum… Until the first-year Luna Lovegood arrives to his class wearing a wreath of baby's breath. Over the next six years, an odd friendship grows between the two, and Snape is not sure how he feels about any of it.

Read Severus Snape's debut book and see Hogwarts in a whole new light. . . Warning: Contains sarcasm, bitterness, and Trademark Snape Wit. 3 Please check out my band, Mina's Veil - we've written a song about the amazing Professor Snape called The Silver Doe You can find us on Facebook, Bandcamp, Tumblr, YouTube and Patreon.

Harry is five when he starts to dream about a castle, strange magic, and a sour potions master. With Voldemort on the prowl for a way to reclaim his body, will Harry be able to hold off the darkness and save the soul of a former Death Eater from being consumed by his past?

If you think about the number of coincidences that string your average fairy tale together it's a wonder that any manage to succeed. But for the moment let's forget about them, because these are the ones that failed.

A heartwarming and mystical tale of rebirth and renewal, filled with the weight of ancient spiritual connections or possibly just with so very much crack. The Green Man and the Horned Man. Please don't hurt me. :D

Post DH fic. He was sure he was going to die. He was sure he had died. Only somebody seemed to have decided to give him a new lease of life he hadn't asked for. Follows on from Flower Remedy and examines Snape's memories in detail.

Horace has a strange story to tell. A story that might even surprise his old friend Albus. A story involving Irma Pince. And then Albus had to go and die in that highly dramatic fashion. But Horace is not a man who lets a mere trifle like the Veil stop him. When he has a story to tell, he tells it.

Severus wakes up in the afterlife expecting something rather different than being almost-seventeen again. Seriously, what kind of game is this? But wait - Lily's come back, too - from 1981? Perhaps it's a second chance... but to do what? SS/LE

Severus Snape just wants a new, peaceful life in Middle Earth, but with a vicious war arising and a new Dark Lord gunning for him, he'll have to fight to get that wish. Magic and battles, familiars and friends. Slytherinesque cunning shall always prevail.

Snape takes Harry on his first Horcrux hunt, and shows him how to contaminate a potion. AU Half-Blood Prince. Plenty of snark, absolutely no affection of any kind. Inspired by Loten's "Chasing the Sun".

Everyone knows how Voldemort was defeated - or thinks they do. Let Crookshanks tell you the real story of how he overcame a dark wizard, with a little help from some humans, and still had time for romance. JK Rowling obviously owns it.

Clever Miss Hermione Granger believes that by marrying Azkaban prisoner 11652 she can effectively skirt the new Ministry Marriage Law requirements. A story about morality, mortality, and pickled walnuts.

What if the Dursley family had taken the more practical route of treating Harry kindly in order to keep him away from magic? What if it worked? What if he wants nothing to do with the wizarding world and Dumbledore has to solve his own problems for once?

Percy Weasley recieves some fictional inspiration before realizing that Authority, though Authority, is not always right. Through DH, he tries to do the right thing, rescue Muggleborns without losing his life or his job, and find the right laws. Complete.

Sequel to 'We Have Lingered Long in the Chambers of the Sea'. Albus Dumbledore shoulders his responsibilities, reflects on Gellert Grindelwald, lies frequently, and has his attempts at taking tea continually thwarted. Complete.

Snape’s position as a spy is compromised when Harry’s life is threatened. The beginnings of a journey together. NOT HBP COMPLIANT ch27 quote: Snape studied him seriously, his black eyes searching Harry’s green ones before saying, “I can do all those thi

Some burdens cannot be left alone. And memories can taunt a wizard for the rest of his life. Severus Snape, however, is not a man who accepts defeat. Time travel, AU 6th and 7th year. Ch. 24: ... and the storm breaks over Azkaban.

HPFA Winner of Best JKR Character portrayal, for Severus Snape! Snape retrieves an injured Harry from the Dursleys-- only this time, the damage is more permanent, and Snape is not prepared to be cuddly. Complete!

Harry attempts suicide by jumping off the Astronomy Tower, and accidentally impales Voldemort by landing on top of him. Despite the summary, this is not crack. Violence, attempted suicide, self mutilation, swearing. HPLV.

In the Pensieve memory that Harry saw, one might think that the cowering woman is weak. One might think that the shouting man is cruel. But life, and love, are hardly ever as simple as one might think.

Chapter 4. Spoiler Alert! Good heavens, this year, it has been quite a bummer. It started when one night in early midsummer the Black sisters paid me an unwelcome call. I should have just shown them the door, one and all!

My first novel length fic. In the last days of the Second Voldemort War, Severus Snape is at last fighting openly on the side of his true allegiance. Feature SnapeLuna, LupinHermione, TonksMoody, and an insane Neville Longbottom.

“Severus Snape has both a tender side and a protective one. It is simply rare for people outside of Slytherin to see either.” As Snape tends to an injured Draco, both teacher and student show a different side to their personalities.

Muggle teaching techniques and Severus Snape? Is our favorite Potions Master losing his touch? Add a twinkling Albus and a staff meeting to the mix and you have the perfect start to another year at Hogwarts. COMPLETE

Against his better judgement Severus Snape let a part of himself be used in a spell six years earlier. Now the consequences of his actions cannot be avoided any longer and Snape finds himself the father of a five year old boy-Harry Potter! Complete.

Complete. In a post-Voldemort world, magic is inexplicably failing, and Hogwarts students must take summer crash-courses in Muggle science and culture. But with the right combination of chemistry and poetry, magic might still stand a chance!

Penny is panicking. Where is she? How did she get here? How is she going to get home and whose backside will she kick first when she does? A woman lost in Middle Earth wearing only her pyjamas. This can't be good... (STRONG language; NOT a M-Sue)

Severus Snape is returned to early childhood in order to save his life. But sometimes what looks simple and straight forward is not what it seems. Nothing in Snape's life is ever easy, is it? (COMPLETE)

Azkaban was too good for that snake. First, he'd manipulated Harry into Dying For Dumbledore, then he'd repudiated the Lily memories at his trial and advertised his new business (Pensivision) by faking on the spot a Nineteen Years Later vignette... Now he's a rich recluse and the trio hate him more than ever. Enter the MLC... (No smut, but the story's not for children.)

DHandHBP oneshot, character death. So much blood. It came out, gushing, from two small wounds in the white neck, and Hermione knew immediately that this was a much worse bite than Harry's had been – and that had been hard enough to heal...

Alternative DH. They turned as one, suddenly aware that Harry had dropped out of the conversation and was staring again at the eaglehead of the key, studying its fierce eyes as if he could see into them. He didn't notice them noticing him...

HBP Spoilers! Rita shook her QuickQuotes Quill. "Is it true that famed recluse and warhero, Severus Snape, head of fastgrowing Potions company, Snape Enterprises, is here under cover of Polyjuice?" Thanks to HermioneGranger91 for the inspiration.

COMPLETE! There were likely to be enough cross words when they finally met. For seven years of his teaching, Hermione had had nothing but cross words from him... Life was a puzzle sometimes. SSHG, Nominated for 4th Multifaceteds and Moste Potente Passions

Complete, AU since HBP. How long Hermione lay there grieving she didn't know, nor did she notice when she first felt a heart thudding under her cheek and arms reaching to hold her... Then a familiar voice said the unthinkable. SSHG, character death

HBP spoilers, Character death. Harry stood up slowly, shaking off the ashes of a dead dark lord... A few feet away a long blackclad body lay prone where it had fallen after shielding him from an organripping curse...